5 midfielders who could refresh Barcelona's ageing midfield

Houssem Aouar

Manchester City v Olympique Lyonnais - UEFA Champions League Group F

If De Jong proves too costly a venture for Barca, they could turn their attention to 20-year-old Houssem Aouar of Lyon. Lyon has proven to be a reliable club for talent, with Aouar the latest to come from their excellent academy.

While France have a reputation for producing powerful midfielders, Aouar is of a different archetype. He uses his skill and quick feet to slip by opponents and attack the final third. He’s been especially dangerous on the counter-attack, when he can use his skill and vision to devastating effect.

Where Aouar differs to other potential targets is that he’s not a traditional playmaker. He’s an offensive player who likes to make things happen with his dribbling, a defense-splitting through pass or a clever run into the channels. Barcelona could benefit from this type of threat of midfield, as it would make them less predictable.